The Préfecture Maritime de Méditerranée confirmed that a 55-year-old Latvian sailor from the crew of the chemical tanker “Elandra Baltic” fell into the water about 3 nautical miles from the cap Couronne on Monday, April 13, 2020, around 6.30am.

He was fixing a ladder along the hull of the ship in order to allow the pilot of the port of Marseille-Fos to get on board to carry out the docking manoeuvres in Fos.

The Centre Régional Opérationnel de Surveillance et de Sauvetage Méditerranée (Regional Operational Center for Mediterranean Surveillance and Rescue -Cross Med) was immediately informed and launched a rescue operation, mobilizing the Dragon 131 Civil Security helicopter, the SNSM speedboat from Carro, two pilot boats from Grand Maritime Port of Marseille (GPMM) and a large semi-rigid belonging to the firefighters of Port-de-Bouc around the immobilized ship.

At noon, the Préfecture Maritime de Méditerranée decided to stop the search.

The maritime gendarmes of Port de Bouc are in charge of the investigation.

Assessment: a missing person, MTO in the area: Sea 1 favourable conditions.